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The number of sufferers from depression is on a steep rise. According to statistics of patients treated at Seoul National University Hospital, the number of depression patients there doubled from 1,023 in 2004 to 2,861 in 2008.

The increase has been particularly steep since the U.S. financial crisis started encroaching on the country, and now the number is increasing due to the lack of sunshine in winter.

At Samsung Medical Center, the number of depression patients, at 4,005 in 2000, rose to 9,696 in 2008. In December 2007, the number of patients suffering from depression was 684, but a year later it was up 31.2 percent to 898.

(englishnews@chosun.com )